Food For Thought 4.6.09

"We're in a recession, hard times. We shouldn't be hurting business. I'm not saying, 'Let's take away this issue.' We're just saying, 'Let's give these businesses some time.'" (Tennell Atkins, member of the Dallas City Council, on an effort to delay the city's smoking ordinance, which bans lighting up in bars and is scheduled to take effect on Friday. Several drinking establishments have reported difficulty securing permits to build outdoor patios. Smoking will be allowed on decks beyond an established distance from the door. As quoted by Dave Levinthal in the Dallas Morning News.)